


Check Please Tumblr Fics

by unconventionalturtle



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-23
Updated: 2020-12-11
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:14:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 3,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26612035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unconventionalturtle/pseuds/unconventionalturtle
Summary: A collection of short Check Please! pieces I've posted on tumblr
Relationships: Alexei "Tater" Mashkov & Jack Zimmermann, Chris "Chowder" Chow & Larissa "Lardo" Duan, Denice "Foxtrot" Ford & Tony "Tango" Tangredi & Connor "Whiskey" Whisk, Eric "Bitty" Bittle/Jack Zimmermann
Comments: 3
Kudos: 28





	1. Bitty and the Part-Time Bakery Job

Thinking about Bitty accidentally getting a part time job at a cafe after graduation...

Everything is great for the first few months after graduation. He’s engaged and so so in love.  
He and Jack visit Madison and Montreal and he films videos with his friends and family.  
He’s busy translating all the recipes he has memorized into precise measurements and writing anecdotes for each recipe, and working with Jack to take photos for the cookbook. He’s so busy that it’s ok when the season starts and Jack is gone a lot because he’s got drafts due and a book to promote.

But then the final draft is sent to the publisher, and the book tour isn’t until summer, and suddenly Bitty finds himself with more free time than he’s ever had before, in an apartment that is empty a lot of the time. 

And he hates it.

On the fourth day that Jack gets home from practice to find Bitty still in bed, he gently suggests that maybe Bitty go to that coffee shop he likes or the library to plan his videos. Bitty can’t tell if he’s annoyed that Jack is implying he needs to get out more, annoyed that Jack can tell something’s wrong when he’s trying to hide it, or if he’s annoyed that he got everything he wanted but feels like something is missing. 

Despite his annoyance, two days later Jack is on a roadie and Bitty is lonely so he takes Jack’s advice.

The coffee shop he goes to is one he’s been to many times before, so he chats with the staff and works on a sponsored video and when he gets home he feels a little bit better.

And he keeps going back. 

Because he's Bitty he gets to know the staff better and keeps offering unsolicited advice on their baked goods, and he knows it’s probably annoying but he can’t help himself. 

But then one day the cashier Emily is like “Hey, the owner wants to talk to you if you have time today."

Bitty is pretty sure he’s about to get banned from the cafe for offering too many recipe adjustments, but he goes back to talk to the owner anyways.

“Do you want a job?” the owner asks, “because you’re here all the time, and you clearly have some ideas on how to improve our bakery items.”

He tries to apologize for overstepping but instead ends up getting hired part time and that’s how Bitty ends up with a schedule, a way to keep busy when all his friends are at their normal jobs, and a little coffee shop family to keep him from getting lonely when Jack is away.

And he thinks that maybe this is actually everything he's ever wanted.


	2. Coach Z

Just thinking about one of the kids Jack coached in peewee getting drafted and playing against Jack :’)

Like kid was probably 11/12 right? So Jack is in his second or third year with the Falcs and he hears that one of his kids got drafted (let’s say by the Aeros) but then kind of forgets about it.

But then he’s walking down the hall before the first game against the Aeros and hears “Coach Z!” and it’s the kid he coached.

They talk for a bit, Jack’s teammates chirp him about being old, and before they part ways the kid goes

“I just wanted to say thank you, you were the first coach who made me believe I might actually be able to play in the NHL."

Jack is so surprised that he kind of just nods. Because Jack had always viewed coaching peewee as a learning experience for him and was never sure if the kids actually got that much out of him being a coach.

Obviously the media loves the story and the Falcs found a picture of Jack with the peewee team to put on the Jumbotron. 

It’s very sweet.

When the kid slams Jack into the boards to steal the puck and he gets an assist Jack can't help but be proud.

After the game the press asks Jack what it’s like to play against a kid he coached. And he starts off by explaining how weird it is to be checked by some kid who was a foot and a half shorter and 8 years younger the last time he and Jack were on the ice together. 

But then someone asks if Jack thinks he’s the reason the kid made it to the NHL and Jack just laughs and says, 

“Not at all. If anything it’s the other way around. Those kids taught me how to love hockey again and I’m not sure I’d be here without them.”


	3. First Impressions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This was written for the 2020 OMGCP Friendship Week, Day One!

Alexei is annoyed and its Jack Zimmermann’s fault.

It’s the end of day one of camp and Zimmermann has not smiled once. He's way too serious and doesn’t laugh at anyone’s jokes and spends the whole day switching between being quietly aloof and looking like he wants to throw up.

Alexei doesn’t get it.

He remembers how nervous he was as a rookie but it’s not the same. Zimmermann hasn’t played a single game and people are already predicting a Calder nomination.

On day two he stays annoyed. Would it kill Jack to loosen up just a bit?

Alexei can’t help but be just a little bit put off. Being a rookie is hard, he _knows_ that. But he barely spoke English and was constantly on the brink of being sent down. Jack doesn’t have to worry about any of that.

By the end of day two it’s obvious that he's going to be one of their top players by the time that season starts, but Jack still has not smiled once.

Well.

That’s not true.

Sometimes during breaks Jack will look at something on his phone and smile fondly. But when Alexei asks about his girlfriend his face goes stony and he says he doesn’t have one even though it’s obviously a lie.

It somehow gets worse.

On day three Marty asks Jack what his nickname was in college and Jack says he didn’t have one.

“Nothing ever stuck.”

Alexei cringes at that and he’s not the only one. Everyone knows that the guys who don’t get nicknames are usually the guys no one likes. He can’t say he’s surprised but Marty seems determined to change this so he and Thirdy keep throwing out names but nothing seems right.

By day four all the rookies have nicknames except for Jack. Alexei feel so sad for him that he forgets to be annoyed.

Suddenly when they’re changing at the end of the day it hits him. He is a _genius_.

He punches Jack in the arm and Jack seems startled but he doesn’t let that stop him.

“Oh! I have perfect nickname!” he says, “Zimmboni!”

“Oh that’s a fucking good one Tater!” Snowy shouts.

“That’s actually a new one,” Jack says with a surprised sound that Alexei thinks might count as a laugh.

“That’s because you never have teammate as smart as me.”

“I guess not,” Jacks says with the first real smile he’s given anyone at camp so far.

And. Ok. maybe Alexei has been a little too harsh on Jack.

He’s a rookie with a messy past and a famous father. Alexei knows what it’s like to have the burden of a legacy.

And if there’s one thing he’s good at its making friends. And he just gave Jack his hockey nickname so he feels a little bit responsible for him now. So he decides that maybe he should give Jack the benefit of the doubt and put “Mission: Become Zimmboni’s friend” into action. He thinks that with enough aggressive friendliness it might work out.

A few years later when Jack asks him to be in his wedding, Alexei thinks it’s safe to say that the mission was a success.


	4. Stress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Written for OMGCP Friendship Week 2020 Day Two!

It’s 3pm when Lardo realizes that she hasn’t heard a peep from Chowder at all today, and she’s been up since 5am working on a painting in a burst of inspiration. Chowder isn’t all that loud of a roommate despite his extroversion and enthusiasm, but she’s used to hearing him a little bit. She wouldn’t even be concerned normally, but he didn’t show for breakfast and she knows Caitlin is gone all weekend for a volleyball thing.

“Yo Chow!” she calls. But there’s no response. Now she’s really concerned.

She gets up and goes through their bathroom and when her knock gets no response she opens the door.

“Chowder?”

He whips around in his chair, obviously startled. The look of pure stress on his face does not reassure her. It’s a look she recognizes, but she’s used to seeing it on Ransom or Jack or Bitty when he talks about his dad or Shitty when they talk about Harvard. She’s never seen it on Chowder.

Midterms aren’t for another two weeks and the season hasn’t started yet. Lardo has no idea what Chowder could be so stressed about. But she needs to do something about it.

“Alright, get your shoes on, we’re heading out,” she says in her best team manager voice.

The fact that he puts on his shoes and follows her out of the house without a word makes it even more obvious that something is wrong.

\------

After walking in silence for a few minutes Lardo wonders if she’s going to have to start the conversation. She’s used to Chowder running the conversation while she listens. But after another minute he finally speaks.

“How do you know if you’re making a big mistake?” he asks.

Lardo has no idea how to answer that question.

“Is something up with you and Caitlin?”

“No! No. We’re good, its just... Everything else? School and hockey and trying to figure out what I’m doing with my life.”

“Well you’re hoping to play professionally right? And you’ll have a comp sci degree to fall back on?” she tries.

They walk in silence for a minute before he speaks again.

“Yeah, but what’s to say I’ll ever make it to the league. I’m not Jack Zimmermann.”

And that’s a loaded statement. Lardo knows he isn’t just talking about Jack’s hockey skills and famous last name. He’s also talking about the fact that except for his anxiety, Jack Zimmermann is the perfect image of an NHL player. 

“I’m just some kid from California. Am I stupid for thinking I could ever make it to the NHL?” he asks.

The thing is, Lardo really doesn’t know.

“You should talk to Jack,” she says, “He probably has a better idea of what it takes now that he’s practiced with the pros.”

Chowder sighs.

“He’s busy though, I don’t want to bother him.”

And that’s when Lardo realizes something that she’s missed: 

Chris Chow never bothers anyone.

In the midst of keeping Nursey and Dex from killing each other, and getting the tadpoles settled, and being a senior, and trying to figure out her thing with Shitty she never realized that his constant optimism and enthusiasm might be an act sometimes. 

“First of all, Jack is never too busy to talk about hockey, and also he likes you.”

“Really?”

Lardo laughs a little. “Yeah dude, he wouldn’t have given you his dibs if he didn’t like you.”

“He gave me dibs because he said it would be good for the team.”

“Yeah, and because he likes you. Trust me on that.”

Chowder nods.

“And what about your classes?” Lardo asks, because she might not be much help with hockey but she can help with school stuff.

“I don’t know, I thought I wanted to do comp sci, and it’s interesting, but CSE 216 is SO hard and now I don’t know. What if that’s not what I want to do?”

That is something Lardo can relate to.

“You know I almost changed my major to art history sophomore year so I could drop the painting class I was taking? I spent 4 weeks with zero inspiration and thought I should just study art history so I’d never have to paint again.”

She turns to look at Chowder who looks less stress and more aghast.

“But Lardo, you’re the best painter I know! And you love to paint!”

She shrugs. “Yeah, obviously things turned out ok. I guess I’m just saying that the sophomore slump is very real and it totally sucks, but you’ll get through it.”

“You know, that actually really helps,” Chowder says quietly. 

“Good. Now let’s go get froyo.”

“Ok! Wait, I don’t have my wallet!” he exclaims, patting his pockets.

Lardo snorts. “Chill dude, it’s on me.”

“It’s a good thing I’m not Dex or that would have ruined the nice conversation we just had,” Chowder says with a smile. 

Then he’s off talking about Nursey and Dex and his predictions for the Sharks this season and it feels like the balance has been restored. Lardo smiles and settles in to listen.

\----

Later when they part ways in the hallway outside their rooms Lardo stops him before he closes his door.

“Hey, I’m serious you should call Jack, he’ll be happy to talk to you. And dude? We’re your friends, bother us more.”


	5. Kegster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Written for OMGCP Friendship Week 2020 Day Three!

Connor does not like parties. Especially after the LAX party that Bitty showed up at. He didn’t even want to be at that party, but Chad asked and he thought it was the one party where no one from the hockey team would be. But he was wrong and now things between him and Bitty have gone from cool to tense. The point is, Connor does not want to go to the Kegster on Friday. 

But Tango asked if he’d go. And then Ford asked if he’d go. And as much as he hates parties, he likes them. And maybe he can just hang out with them all night and not have to interact with people he doesn’t know or drink alcohol he doesn’t want to drink. 

The twin smiles Tango and Ford give him when he says he’ll go are probably worth a slightly uncomfortable night at the Haus. (At least if it’s at the Haus then Chad won’t be there and he can’t do something dumb like kiss a boy where other people can see). 

Two days later Connor is walking across campus with Tango on their way to pick up Ford and he thinks maybe this won’t be as bad as he’s expecting it to be. They pick up Ford and he tells her she looks nice and she grins at him.

Sometimes it feels like he can’t do anything quite right, but if he can make his friends happy maybe that’s good enough. 

They walk to the Haus and fall into their usual routine of Tango and Ford talking over each other while Connor listens with the occasional interjection. He thinks that if it were anyone else, the enthusiasm they show when he participates in conversation would feel condescending, but they’re both so genuine that it just feels nice. 

\------

“What the fuck in the house!” Wicks yells when they walk in, and Tango and Ford both whoop.

“Yo,” Nursey says, “Bitty will be glad to hear you guys made it.”

He knows that Nursey’s just talking about him since Ford and Tango are at almost every Kegster, but he appreciates that he’s not making a big deal about it.

“Where’s Bitty at?” Tango asks.

Nursey tells them that he’s at some event with Jack and Connor feels a little bit like an asshole for being relieved that Bitty isn’t there. It’s just that sober Bitty has seemed to realize that he’s never going to want to talk about the party and he’s stopped pushing. He’s not sure drunk Bitty would show him the same courtesy. And if he’s being honest drunk Bitty is also comfortable with himself in a way that makes Connor all too aware of the ways in which he’ll never be comfortable with himself. Before he can get too far down that rabbit hole, Ford is there handing him a drink.

“You better drink all of this, I mixed it special for you,” she says with a wink.

He takes a sip. It’s just soda. He smirks.

“Yeah I can tell you put a lot of effort into this.”

She smacks his arm then drags him into the kitchen where Tango is insisting he pour them shots.

\----

To Connor’s surprise, he actually kind of has fun. Tango and Ford never leave him on his own and he’d feel bad about them babysitting him except when he asks if they’re having fun the both yell “yes” loud enough that he can tell they mean it.

They play beer pong and crush some of the girls from the volleyball team. He manages to hold a normal conversation with Chowder and Ollie and he can admit that Nursey and Louis put together a pretty solid playlist.

At the end of the night as he’s walking his very drunk friends home Tango asks if he had fun.

He says yes and he actually means it and they both scream and Ford hugs him and Connor can’t help but be really grateful that they’re his friends.

He is never going to like parties, but he can admit that good friends make them a lot better. 


	6. Connor Whisk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You know that specific type of fear you feel when you're confused and closeted and someone is so comfortably out, and you're sure that if they look to closely at you then they'll KNOW and is feels like a threat because YOU don't even know yet.
> 
> Yeah, this is that.

He doesn’t miss the look on Bitty’s face when he says he can’t come to brunch. He wishes he had the words to explain that he doesn’t hate Bitty. He’s afraid of him. He’s afraid of what it means for Bitty to be out and to be captain and to be so comfortable with who he is. To Whiskey all of it feels like a threat. 

The team likes to talk about heteronormativity and they say it’s a bad thing. No one seems to understand that it keeps him safe.

He thinks about the signed Zimmermann jersey he has hanging in his closet. The one he can’t bring himself to wear. He always wanted to be like him, even after the overdose. Now he wishes he wasn’t anything like him at all. The jersey hangs in the back of his closet. He puts it on once but can’t shake the feeling that if he keeps it on then everyone will know.   
So he doesn’t hate Bitty and he doesn’t hate Jack but he needs to distance himself. It’s the only way he knows to protect himself.

He thinks about telling Bitty once. But he doesn’t think he’d understand. The closet was Bitty’s enemy but it’s Whiskey’s shield. He wants to go pro, he can go pro, but not if he’s anything like Bitty. Not if he lets people know the truth. The worst part is that he doesn’t even know what the truth is. 

In the end it doesn’t matter because Bitty finds out anyways. He sees him kiss a boy and in that moment Whiskey has never been more afraid of him.

**Author's Note:**

> You can find all of these on my tumblr @unconventionalturtle  
> I'm mostly posting Check Please! content there right now :)


End file.
